10 Paris Tourist Attractions &
Famous Landmarks You Cannot Miss

The capital of France, Paris with its 19th century cityscape, has no shortage of historical and cultural attractions. In no particular order, here are our top 10 tourist attractions and famous landmarks in Paris to visit:

1. The Eiffel Tower is probably the most iconic landmark even though it was originally built as a temporary structure for the Exposition Universelle world fair held in 1889. It only took 2 years, 2 months and 5 days to build which could be considered an engineering feat considering the construction possibilities of the time. There are three levels you can access either by foot or by lift.

2. The Louvre Museum is one of the most visited and largest in the world and is home for collections of western art form the medieval period to 1848, formative works from the civilisations of the ancient work and works of Islamic art. It is most famously known for being home for the Mona Lisa painted by Leonardo da Vinci.

3. Notre Dame Cathedral is arguably the most stunning gothic cathedral in the world and undoubtably the most famous, it was conceived in the 12th century and completed in the 14th. Unfortunately, due to the devastating fire in April 2019, you cannot enter cathedral and square nearby, however, it is still worth a visit to see this impressive cathedral from, a distance.

4. Sainte-Chapelle, built in gothic style was intended to house precious Christian relics, including Christ's crown of thorns, acquired by Saint Louis. The stunning stained glass depicting 1,113 scenes from the Old and New Testaments is arranged across 15 windows, each 15 metres high!

5. Palais Garnier and the Opera National de Paris is an architectural masterpiece. Designed to be extravagant it is richly decorated with chandeliers, columns and statues and is very impressive in size.

6. The Musée d’Orsay, a former Beaux-Arts railway station, is now most famous as a museum for the paintings by Monet, Degas, Renoir, Cezanne and Van Gogh as well as sculptures, furniture and photography.

7. A relaxing way of seeing some of the top Paris tourist attractions, such as the Louvre, the Eifel Tower, Musée d’Orsay and Notre Dame, is to take a cruise on the iconic River Seine.

8. The Basilica of the Sacré-Coeur with its distinctive white dome is next to Montmartre, known as the painter’s neighbourhood. The Romano-Byzantine place of worship is home to the Apse mosaic, one of the largest in the world and from its dome you can experience incredible views over Paris.

9. The Arc de Triomphe, at the end of the impressive avenues of the Champs Elysees, is a monument commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 as a tribute to his victories. It stands a majestic 50 metres tall and commands some stunning views from the top.

10. Palace of Versailles was the dream of Louis XIV and home of the French monarchy until the demise of the aristocracy. The Palace and impressive Park is an UNESCO World Heritage Site for its ‘unique artistic realisation, by virtue not only of its size but also of its quality and originality’.

Inspired? Our range of college or school trips to Paris our suitable for many subjects including Art & Design, Fashion, Science, History, Business, French Language, Performing Arts as well as a general Cultural & Enrichment tour.

Give us a call and start your journey to Paris with European Study Tours today.